“Land ho! Silovilo in front of us!”

One crew member shouted from the crow's nest, announcing that they’ve arrived. He’s not wrong.

After two days of sailing in the open seas in the Maiden’s Marble, Shouya and crew finally arrived in the city of Silovilo.

Shouya, along with Alisa, widen their eyes in awe as they approach the city, meanwhile Gin continues to vomit overboard from seasickness. Thankfully he doesn't have to stay on the ship for much longer.

So this is Silovilo.

While they stare with amazement, Orgla approaches behind them.

“Here we are. The City of Silver, at its glory.”

“‘City of Silver’?”

“Huh? You didn’t know? It was named after the rulers of the Silver Fox.”

“Silver Fox…?”

Shouya didn’t get what Orgla was saying. Perhaps there was history regarding the city’s origin and how it was founded. He just entered this world, so his knowledge about this world is zero.

As the ship docked, they lowered the anchor and everyone got off the ship—well, Gin was the first one to get off as he made a mad dash for safe, dry land.

“Ahh, land! How much I’ve missed you.”

He really can’t handle ships, can he?

Given how the trip went, he did not really enjoy it at all. Thankfully, his nightmare has come to an end.

“That fool really loves land. Anyways, I should be heading back to work. These supplies won’t deliver and get all the gold for themselves.”

“Oh! Thank you for the ride!”

Shouya gave a little bow to her, but she didn’t look back as gave a wave of her hand and walked away to continue her business.

As that was happening, they approached Gin, who was hugging the ground.

“Uhh, you okay.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just glad that we’re off from that damn thing.”

“Who knew that you would hate traveling in ships.”

“I don’t hate traveling on ships, it’s just that..the damn movement. Wobbling left and right above the waters. It’s just…uggh.”

Gin couldn’t shake off the feeling of traveling in the open seas that it sends shivers down his spine. Shouya can never feel that since he never had that kind of experience, but he can understand him and feel bad for Gin.

“Anyways, I’m gonna reserve a place to stay. You two go around and have fun.”

“You got it! C’mon Sho!”

“Alright.”

Gin went by himself to go look for a place to stay, meanwhile, both Shouya and Alisa ventured around the city of Silovilo.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

“Wow, this city is big!”

Shouya was astonished at how the city looked. It was more lavish and surprisingly different from Vincilos. Compared to Vincilos’s Indian-like structures, this looks more like something out of a medieval Victorian era. There were a lot more people and the city is much wider than Vincilos, it even has a castle in the center of the city.

“…”

“What’s wrong Sho?”

But still, something was off, and Shouya began to question.

“I’m curious, why is this city called the ‘Silver City’ if the city is not made of silver?”

“Is that what you’re thinking about?”

Hearing that made Alisa snicker.

But he isn’t wrong. The city isn’t really made out of silver or colored as one. The buildings are made out of bricks and stones, and streets were made of fine pavement.

If this city is nicknamed the “Silver City”, then why is it called it as such if it’s not made out of or colored as such?

“Have you heard the story about the Prince of the Silver Fox?”

“The Prince of the Silver Fox?”

Shouya cocked his head sideways as his knowledge of that name flew over his head.

“It was said that he was known as the city’s most crowned and passionate leader in Silovilo and the person who found silver. When he was alive, he didn’t rule the kingdom through violence, he didn’t even have an army with him. He went around the world and gave silver that he mined to people that he met. So much so that he managed to get the other kingdom leaders to agree to build him a country in trade for his silver that he discovered.”

“Interesting.”

It was an intriguing tale that Alisa told. A history of a man who discovered the existence of silver and made a kingdom through his adventures and negotiations with other people. It’s rather a fascinating story to say the least.

Wanting to know more, he asked.

“What happened after that?”

“After that, well…”

“Hm?”

When he asked that question, Alisa moved her eyes away from Shouya, as if she was stumped by that question. She was giving a brief history lesson about this place to him up to this point. Does she not know what happened after that?

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just that…everything after that was long forgotten.”

“What?! How?!”

“Apparently some of the records of his history were lost. They say they were lost due to time, at least that’s from what I’ve heard.”

“So I guess we’ll never know the full story, huh?”

It was disappointing that the extra history of the prince was forever lost. Shouya could’ve used it and learned more about this world. But if what she said was true, then it seems that the records are really gone and there was no way to restore it.

“Hm?”

“What is it, Sho?”

“Do you smell that?”

Something has caught in Shouya's scent; like the smell of fresh pastry. He could not help but find the source of it.

“Oh, you mean that bakery over there?”

“Huh?”

He looked to where Alisa pointed at and noticed that the smell came from the bakery and they approached it. There are a large variety of freshly baked pastries displayed behind the glass window.

Wow! They look tasty! And they smell good, too!

“I see you have a keen sense of smell.”

As Shouya looked at the extraordinary baked goods, he looked at the beastman baker from the window in front of him.

“What can I get for you guys today?”

“Oh, umm…”

There’s just so many baked goods to choose from that Shouya does not know which to choose from. Big, small, even sweets that have frosting around it. Even the scent of regular bread smelled so wonderful that he couldn’t imagine what it tasted like.

But one did catch his eye. A pancake-like sweet that has the shape of a fox.

“I'll take that one.”

“A brilliant choice, sir! What will you be having, miss?”

“I’ll have what he's having.”

“Excellent!”

As they completed their order, the beastman baker began preparing to make the sweets—.

“HUUUAAAAAAA!

“Whua—?!

Out of nowhere, the baker shouted and his eyes burned brightly, as if he himself was on fire.

“LUVAGO SUPER SWEET SPECIAL BAKING TIME!!!”

The baker began making the pastry at a rapid pace. He mixes the ingredients and uses the utensils to make it, but everything was going on so fast that it was impossible to see with the naked eye.

Is he really baking?

The way he is cooking is unbelievable. Shouya isn’t sure if the baker knows what he is doing. After mixing all the necessary ingredients, the baker places his mixture into a fox-shaped hinged pan and places it in the oven to cook, only for the baker, only for him to bring it out a minute after.

Wait, that quick?!

He then placed the pastries on the thin paper, wrapped them around, and then presented them the food that they requested.

“Here you go!”

They were awed by how they looked. It looks exactly how it was displayed.

It looks actually cute now that I’m holding it up close.

The food was so adorable that Shouya was too afraid to eat it, even though it was designed to be a delicious pastry treat. He glanced at Alisa, taking a bite off of the treat and expressed the taste with glee.

Huh, she’s enjoying it. I wonder what it tastes like. I guess one bite wouldn’t hurt.

Shouya took a bite out of his own treat and he couldn’t believe it.

“Wow! It’s sweet!”

The rich taste of soft bread oozes in his mouth, as if an orchestra was playing in his tongue. The sweet sugar coating around the dough and the soft texture melts in his mouth with every bite.

He took another bite and he felt something creamy in his mouth.

He looked at the treat and it revealed brown ooze in the middle. It was chocolate. Pure sweet dark chocolate melting from the inside of the pastry. The baker must have slipped in some of it while he was cooking. He has such fast hands to pull it off.

“It’s delicious!”

Shouya’s eyes sparkled as he continued to consume the pastry. It was very similar to having a dorayaki back in his home world. He did not expect that a concept that is similar to Earth would be brought into this world.

“Glad you like it. Care for some more?”

“Oh yes, please! I’d like to take some to go, for a friend of ours. Oh, and a cake, and cookies as well!”

“No problem!”

“We’re in no rush. Take the time that you need.”

With Alisa’s request, the baker started making new batches of the same treat that they just had, with a little bit of extras along with it.

Hours had passed and the sun went down. They headed to the inn where Gin was. He had reserved a room in the inn where the three of them get to stay for the night.

The room has a medieval European-like feel to it; it was a medium-sized room with three beds located on one side of the room with a nice view of the ocean in the far end of the room. There’s also a wooden desk where you can document your adventures and a door, which leads to the bathroom.

After an exhilarating day, Shouya laid down face first on one of the three beds.

“I can tell you two had a good time.”

“I never knew this city was this big.”

“It gets bigger! We’ll plan that first thing after.”

“After what?”

“The royal crown announcement. Since the queen passed away, her crown will be given to one of her daughters.”

“Daughters?”

Shouya questions Gin about the daughters. He knew that there was a king and queen that lived in this kingdom. He had only heard about it before arriving here. However, he wasn’t aware that the king and queen had daughters.

“Yes, two of them, actually. One is the commander of the kingdom’s army, and the other is her younger sister.”

“I see. So I guess the older sister will be the one who’ll be wearing the crown, then?”

“We can’t say for sure. It’s too early to tell. But based on her leadership in the past, I bet that it’s the older sister. They’ll probably announce it tomorrow right after the burial.”

“Are we going to attend the burial as well?”

“‘Fraid we can’t. That’s reserved for either relatives or those who are in the royal circle. Us common citizens can only attend the carryout of the body.”

“It’s a real disappointment actually. Would’ve wanted to give her a farewell saying.”

“I can see that.”

Shouya knows the feeling; the feeling of loss of a loved one. He knows it too well.

Showing their disappointment filled the room with melancholy. A shame that the three of them could not go to the burial and see the queen lay to rest. They wanted to see her one last time. But unfortunately, they were not permitted to visit the burial as a commoner, as Gin had stated.

Wait, there’s no reason to get mopey like this! No one deserves to be this sad!

Shouya claps his hands to his face together and regains his composure.

“Hey, there’s no reason to get sad like this! I mean, sure, we may have lost someone who we all know and admired, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up our hope! She would’ve wanted us to continue with our lives, never stop fighting, and live for a better future. She may be gone, but not forgotten. So we must hold our head up high and aim for the future that we all fight for!”

“Sho…”

Shouya’s words resonated with both of them. Their hearts were filled with a glimmer of hope. And thanks to Shouya’s words of encouragement, they began to smile.

“Heh. You’re right. She wouldn’t like me if she saw me like this. I gotta need to man up!”

Gin gave a bright grin, showing his sharp white fangs, as he took those to heart. The room had lifted all of doubt and was filled with aspiration. It was all thanks to Shouya’s speech.

“Gwah!”

Filled with determination, Gin wrapped his muscly arm around Shouya’s neck and dug his head towards his lavender-colored fur body. Even though he has a muscular build, his fur feels as soft as a pillow.

“You’ve got a way with words, kid. Never heard anyone say anything like that. It was inspiring!”

“Ag, aa, t-thanks?”

It’s not really the best. I just remembered and recited a generic cliche line from an anime. Shouya thought to himself as his face was being assaulted by Gin’s body fur. But please let me go! I’m…suffocating!

This lasted until Shouya passed out and the three of them went to bed and rested for the night.